Dan Wheldon RIP 1978-2011

Today was supposed to be a celebration for the end of the IndyCar Season in Las Vegas today. With Danica's final race before her move to NASCAR, Will Power and Dario Franchitti battling for the Championship, and Dan Wheldon attempting to win a $5 million payday for him and an IndyCar fan if he could win from the back of the field.

But that all changed 13 laps in when a major crash involving 15 cars stopped the race, but it got worse as Wheldon was severely hurt in the crash that launched his car into the catch fence. He was airlifted to UNLV's University Medical Center, who has one of the best trauma centers in the West, but despite all the efforts of the doctors there, Dan did not survive his injuries.

Randy Bernard, the head of the IndyCar Series, had to announce both Dan's passing and the cancellation of the race, then announced a five-lap tribute by the remaining drivers in his memory. The racetrack piped a version of Amazing Grace played on the bagpipes as the 19 remaining cars took to the track for the tribute. One of the most heart-wrenching images was of Franchitti, who ended up winning the championship after Power's car was caught up in the crash, crying uncontrollably in the cockpit of his Target Chip Ganassi Racing vehicle, as he prepared for the tribute laps.

I've covered racing for a decade, going back to my time doing the weekly races at the Toyota Speedway at Irwindale, races at the Auto Club Speedway and as far as Phoenix and Sonoma. I had to report on the death of driver John Baker in 2002 at Irwindale, when he died during a then-NASCAR Featrherlite Southwest series race. It was one of the hardest things to do when someone dies, the sadness and memory of the incident never leaves you, no matter how many years pass.

My colleagues who were there when Paul Dana died still recall every detail. My late mentor, Mike Hollander, to the day he died, could remember every detail he saw when Dale Earhardt died at Daytona 10 years ago. It haunts you.

I am posting the following press conference from April at the Long Beach Grand Prix when Dan and Bryan Herta, the owner of Bryan Herta Racing, announced that Dan, who wasn't participating in the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, would be driving with the famous Agajanian paint scheme on his car at Indy, which he would win just a month later.

Rest in Peace, My friend, Pit lane is open, bring it in...

BROCK SAMSON SPEAKS!!

So Today was the big Day, as the Long Beach Grand Prix finally got off. We'll get to that later, but first, earlier in the day, one of the best actors out there on TV joined the media to talk a little about his work.

Patrick Warburton is currently starring as Jeff Bingham on the CBS hit show, "Rules of Engagement," and is the voice of two classic cartoon Characters, Joe Swanson on "Family Guy" and Brock Samson on the Adult Swim hot show, "The Venture Brothers." He is probably best known for his portrayal of David Puddy on "Seinfeld" and the starring role in the short-lived cult classic show, "The Tick."

You will excuse a couple of extraneous sounds, my blackberry went off twice while I was filming it. Enjoy

Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach: Race Day 1

Good morning from the Dan Gurney Media Center at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. We've got an exciting day of racing ahead of us, as always, you can follow along here as well as catch the stories over at the Mid-Valley Sports Website. on Today's menu is qualifying for both the IZOD IndyCar and Firestone Indy Lights series, while the American Le Mans and the Toyota Pro-Celebrity Race will highlight the races today.

We'll be back in a bit with a report from a press conference featuring Bryan Herta, who is announcing a new sponsorship for his race tema with 2005 Indy 500 winner Dan Wheldon.

Stay Tuned!!

RACE REPORT: American Super Bike Race 1 From Fontana

Josh Zemke(Left), Larry Pegram and Aaron Yates meet the media after

Saturday's AMA American Superbike race at Auto Club Speedway in

Fontana. Pegram held off Zemke for the win with Yates close behind in

third. Photo by Tony Solorzano/Mid-Valley News

So we've gotten through the first race of the day, which just finished a few minutes ago, and Larry Pegram, riding his Foremost Insurance/Pegream Racing Ducati, came from behind to overtake Jake "Earthquake" Zemke to win the 21-lap American Superbike feature race at Auto Club Speedway.

Pegram started on the front row alongside Tommy Hayden, John Hopkins and pole sitter Aaron Yates. However, Pegram started to make his moves midway through the race, moving from third up to first with about five laps to go, passing both Yates and Zemke on an outside pass.

After the race, all three came into the media center to talk about the weather conditions that forced the delay in the day's schedule and how the series has included the riders in the decision-making process with regards to the race delays. Larry Pegram made an interesting observation during his portion of the press conference, in mentioning a recent article that highlighted the Yoshimura racing team and the specialized staff the team employs, but still wondered how his, in essence, one-man operation still manages to beat them every race.

Spring Rituals and Super Bikes W/ UPDATES

A member of Martin Cardenas' crew prepares his bike for the first of two Daytona Sportbike races at Auto Club Speedway. Photo Tony Solorzano/Mid-Valley News

Aaahhh, March. The start of the inexorable slide towards Summer. The month when the dreaded Daylight Savings time rears its ugly head, and for 64 schools across the country(and their fans), the annual onset of March Madness. But it also means something to me as well, it's the annual arrival of not only the Swallows down to the San Juan Capristrano Mission but also the arrival of the AMA Super Bike series out at Auto Club Speedway.

I've been going every year since the first time it arrived in town about five or six years ago. Every March or April it's been an awesome display of power on two wheels. Now I know there are readers out there who are saying, "rice rockets? Really, Tony?" but you know what? Motor sports isn't limited to four-wheels, not that I'm not excited about the fast-approaching Long Beach Grand Prix.

However, as is my now annual trek out to the Speedway, I'm all set to watch three divisions of bikes take the 21-turn, 2.38 mile circuit that's built into the infield of the two-mile oval. Already today, the series' tire provider, Dunlop, introduced a new racing compound that gear heads will appreciate. The video is below.

Dunlop Introduces the new Sportmax GP-A racing tire

UPDATE 1: Well, it's just after 1 pm and we're under Red Flag conditions out on the track. The winds are blowing like mad right now and the series is naturally concerned about the safety of the riders. We're supposed to get started at 1:30 with the American Superbikes, however, there is a wind advisory for the area until at least 5 pm.

UPDATE 2: It's just after 1:45 and we're getting word that there will be a Superbike practice starting at 2:30. They're going to evaluate the track conditions and see fi they can get the races in.

POST-MORDEM: Danica Patrick's NASCAR Experiment, Part 1

Well, it's March which means two things: First, Daylight savings is about to rear its' ugly head for the next few months, which always pisses me off. Second, college basketball is about to go nuclear with March Madness as a new national champion is crowned for both the men and women. But is also means that the IRL season is ready to kick off down in Sao Paolo. Of course, this year's edition of American Open Wheel racing will feature two big names who have, according to a few "purists," gone over, "to the dark side," AKA driven in NASCAR.

Before I get further into that, let me address this seemingly constant sniping between fans of stock car and open wheel racing. If you;re a fan of racing in general, you've heard the insults thrown back and forth on both sides: "high-falutin', wine-and-cheese eatin' snobs trying to be Formula 1," "Left-turn only, in-bred, mullet-wearing rednecks," etc. etc. What both sides are missing is that racing is racing, whether it's a dirt-gouging sprint car going around the quarter-mile at Eldora, a turbo-charged Dallara chassis going around the second turn at Indianapolis or a Chevy body with a restrictor plate taking the high banks of Talledega or Daytona. there are a number of tracks where both series run together, like Texas and Indy and Sonoma, bu you don't see people not come out to those tracks because the other series is in town, they come out because they love racing.

Anyway getting back to the topic at hand, This year's edition of the IRL will feature the title defense of Dario Franchitti, one of the recent IRL drivers who jumped over to NASCAR but ended up on the outside looking in, not because of his racing acumen, but because of sponsor problems, namely the lack thereof. Of course, along with Dario comes his better half, Kentucky basketball's #1 Fan, his wife, actress Ashley Judd. And of course, there's Ashley's "favorite" driver, Danica.

Ah yes, Danica, AKA Mrs. 105-pounds of mouth, AKA Mrs. "Stupid Idiot," AKA Milka Duno's Number 1 fan (Did you REALLY Think I wouldn't mention Milka-licious at some point in this story?) So she's run three Nationwide Series races and all three times, she either finished close to the back, or crashed out. Now, normally, you know I love any opportunity to take down "Mrs. Mouth" a couple of pegs, but wait for it, in this case, I think people are getting way too freaked out over her less than stellar showing.

First of all, it's ONLY been three races, Three, Daytona, Fontana and Vegas. If you know anything about NASCAR, you know that the first three races of the year are as diverse as can be, not just because of the tracks, but because of the set-ups for the cars. Everyone knows Daytona's restrictor plate racing is unique to the series. Please, no rebuttals about Talladega at this time, allow me to make my point. Daytona is the "Crew Chief" race, because they have most of the work to do to get the car ready for the high-banking and drafting opportunities that open up because of the plate. Fontana, on the other hand, is the first opportunity for the DRIVERS to test out their abilities, as the two-mile oval at the Auto Club Speedway and the lack of a restrictor plate now gives the drivers the chance to use their skills to achieve a win, which we saw with the current 900-pound gorilla of the series, current champion Jimmie Johnson in his win. As for Vegas, it's the speed track, where fuel mileage and strategy play a factor on the mile-and-a-half. Plus, it's Vegas, need I say more?

So what does this have to do with Mrs. Hospenthal? Simple, there is only one sure way for her to get better in stock car racing: seat time. Rob D'Amico, co-host of the Fox Sports Radio show "Race Day on Fox," has been saying the same thing since February, The way she learns how to handle a stock car is with seat time. Now, if the people at JR Motorsports had more time with her, they would have gotten her a part-time ride in the K&N Filter Series, either running in the East or West Series. It would give her the seat time she needs, and we've already seen drivers from this series make the move up to the big show, i.e., David Gilliland and Joey Logano.

There are a number of races that the series run on tracks that would open up depending on Danica's obligations in the IRL. Maybe she takes on the race in Iowa that pits the drivers in both series together in one race. Maybe she can hop over to Sonoma during the NASCAR weekend and run in the West Series' support race on that Saturday. I doubt that she would be free for the Fourth of July race at Irwindale, but still, that would pack the stands.

Of course, right now, Danica's prepping for the season opener in Sao Paolo next Sunday, which means that if you're a DirecTV subscriber, you won't get to see any races until they cut a deal with Versus, which isn't very likely. But anyway, When June rolls around, Danica is back in the seat of her Nationwide series ride, gaining that precious seat time she needs. So until the season is finished and she's done her 12 races, then I'll make a pronouncement on her ability to transition from open wheel to stock cars. But for now, I'll take a wait and see attitude on her season.

UPDATE: As if it wasn't enough that Danica had trouble in her first three Nationwide series races, but now, guess who's gonna be at EVERY SINGLE RACE this season? That's Right!!

My favorite IRL driver, Milka Duno, FINALLY got a full-time ride with Dale Coyne Racing, which means no more occasional races for Milka-Licious, every race, every opportunity to do the same thing Danica needs in NASCAR, Seat Time. But how long before the Mouth loses her cool? My over/under is four races before she blows up, assuming she's not busy texting in the middle of her ride...

Has F1 spent itself into oblivion?

I'm hearing a lot of things from across the pond about the Formula 1 series, and the sounds coming from the world's Top motor sports series is not good. Like every sport, F1 is facing trouble from the global economic meltdown that's been affecting more countries than the H1N1 flu virus. But this season, which was supposed to be one of the most exciting ones in the tours recent history, has, according to one report, "a farce."

So far this season, the Brawn GP team, which was formed out of the ashes of the Honda team that disbanded after the 2008 season, has become a virtual juggernaut, winning four of the five races held so far, the only race not won by the Brawn team was Sebastian Vittel's win at the rain-plagued Chinese Grand Prix. But aside from the seemingly improbable domination by the Brawn team, other incidents have plagued the series.

At the opening race in Australia, McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton, one of the few drivers I follow in the F1, was penalized for lying about an order from his bosses to allow driver Jarno Trulli to pass him while the safety car was out and take third. Then the Brawn teams' diffuser was challenged by the other teams as being an unfair advantage. (See this story from the BBC for more background on the appeal and the controversy over the diffuser.)

But the biggest problem facing the Series right now are the rules that were announced on St. Patrick's Day regarding budgets for race teams that are expected to be implemented in 2010. The rules, which the website pitpass.com covers here, essentially makes the series a two-tier, have or have-not racing series, where the teams can either spend, spend, spend to their hearts content, or if they opt to the 30 million dollar budget cap, getting certain technical allowances with the cars.

Suffice it to say, the teams have gone ballistic. Already, the Ferrari team has announced that unless the budget cap is either eliminated or redone to a more manageable number, They're pulling out of Formula 1. Now think about this. Ferrari, which has been the longest running race constructor in the series, is willing to walk away because they think the budget caps are unfair. Plus they know that their fans will not stick around if they're gone.

But they're not alone in this threat. The Renault team, a long time manufacturer in the series, is also re-considering participating in the 2010 season as well. The teams are not the only ones upset over the rule changes for the coming season. Driver Kimmi Raikonnen, who won the series championship in 2007, says he's not happy with the changes proposed and might go elsewhere if they get implemented. This could be a potentially fatal move for the Series. However, one of the teams that would normally have an opinion, or at least make their opinion known, so far have kept notoriously silent over this, that's McLaren.

The last time the series was threatened, according to an editorial by pitpass.com's Editor Chris Balfe, Formula one pulled out all the stops to make Ferrari's threats go away. This time, however, Balfe puts the blame right on th shoulders of FIA president Max Mosley. Personally speaking, I think he's right.